Driving and supporting means for sewing machines and the like



- 1,644, 51 A. B. SPENCER ET 6 DRIVING AND SUPPORTING MEANS FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Ja 17, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet J,

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1 v A fil/ 5e d W0 Span ccr Fran/f [a Ward-Wa/Xek B Y: 7 a H ATTOJRNEY Oct. 4, 1927.

1,644,651 A. B. SPENCER ET AL muvme ANQSUPPORTING MEANS FOR sEwING mcnmss AND was: Lima Y Filed Jan. 17, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 r l 1 1927' A. B. SPENCER ET AL 5 DRIVING AND SUPPORTING MEANS FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan 17, 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 3 I NVE NTO s." A-rfhur Egg/ ,14 Jptnczf I I Patented ch t, 1927. Y

STARS? ARTHUR BED W'ARD SPENCER AND FRANK EDWARD "WALKER, OE 'HUCKNALL TOR- KAIRTD, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO GEORGE srnnonn; or LUTTERWOBJTH, LEICESTER;

SHIRE, nnenann. 1 j I DRIVING AND SUPPORTING MEANS FOR MACHINES AND THE LTKE.

Application filed January 17, 1925, Serial No. 3,114, and in Great B it i Eebruary 4, 1924,

This invention relates to driving and sup- .spection, lubrication, adjustment, repair and porting means for sewing machines and the like purposes; the shaftsand guards which like, and is applicable especially where a cover the t-ransm1ttersthereon occupy "an number of machines are arranged in series undesirable amount of spaceunderthe'bench 5 along opposite sides of abench, stand or near the operators knees;"the belt drive from table and driven from a running shaft the transmitters to the machinesisfsho'rt';

thereunder, the drive to the individual maand the duplicate shafts and their bearings chines beingtransmitted from the shaft by and motors make the equipment expensive means which are under the control of the both as regards initial cost and'cost'o'f runin operator by a treadle or other suitable memning and upkeep. I. I y

berI I The aim of the invention is to provide a In arrangements of the kind concerned form of drive which Will combine the adtwo systems of drive have heretofore been vantages of the two systems referred to'withemployed. In one of said systems the maout the disadvantages thereof.

chines in the opposite rows were driven The form of bench. usually adopted for from a single driving shaft carried by cross sewing machine arrangements of the type members on the bench standards. This shaft concerned consists of table ofsuitable was a slow running shaft and the drive to the length according to Ithenuniber of machines individual machines was obtained through in the rows, said table being. supported by the medium of a transmitter carried under side standar'dsfixed to the floor. 'For each the bench, that is to say there was a transmachine there is generally provided avertimitter for each machine, each transmitter cal seat post entending from thetable to was driven by belt from the running shaft, the floor and carrying aseat for u'seby the and drove the'machine by a second belt. operator when using the machine'. in This system was open to the objections that In connection with sewing or like machine the slow speed belt drive from the shaft arrangements of the double row type already 7 to the transmitters was not eiiicient, the belts I'eferredto, the present invention constitutes between the transmitter and the machines an improvement for the purposes of simpliwere too short to give good services, the fying thearrangements reducing the initial, 39 drive from the running shaft to the machines running and upkeep costs of same; providwas not direct, and the'transmitters occupied ing more clear space for the'operatofs knees an undesirable amount of space under the under the bench; providing ,a' longer belt bench in the region of the operators knees. drive for the individual machines; render- In the other system of drive previously ing the, running shaft and its associated 35 employed a separate driving shaft has been parts more accessible and capable offbeing provided for each row of machines each exam ned by observation without removal of shaft being drivenseparately, usually by an the guards; obtaining balanced end thrust. electric motor. In such cases the driving on the driving shaft; and simplifying the shafts were driven at high speed and were bench structure. I V Y I provided thereon with transmitters from According to the invention themachines which the driveto the machines was taken in both rows are driven from a single high by belt there being a separate transmitter speed shaft. That is.to say, instead of for each machine". The running shafts were using two running shafts one for'each row located comparatively close up. under the of machines, or a single slow speed shaft 45 bench and the transmitters'thereon were conand intermediate transmitters asinglehigh trolled by the operators of the individual speedshaft is provided from which the drive machines. The disadvantages of this system to the machines in both rows on the bench are, the running shafts and their associated is taken direct from transmitters. thereon. parts are not conveniently accessible for in This featureleliminates a driving shaft, its

the opposite rows can be taken in av conven-' ient manner and so as to enable a comparatively long driving belt to be used for such machine.

For instance, by arranging the single driving shaft at a low level. and. such position that the driving belts between said shaft and the machines in the two opposite rows on the bench are disposed angu-.

larly like a V, not only can a long belt drive 'beobtained but the running shaft is positioned where it is readily accessible. This arrangement provides a clear space underneath the bench along each side above the operators knees which space has heretofore been occupied either by the transmitters or by the two driving shafts.

In order to enable the single high speed driving shaft to be rigidly mounted in a suitable position for transmitting the drive direct to the machines, the invention includes as one of its features an improved bench structure in which the table is supported by central upright standards instead of side'standards as heretofore. The central upright standards provide a means for carrying the driving shaft in a rigid manner at a convenient level between the benchand the floor which arrangementis consid ered better than the previous one wherein the driving shafts were supported at a higher level near the underside of the bench by the bench leg or a cross web thereon. Moreover the central standard arrangement, by eliminating the side standards, provides more clear space under thebench along each side which is an obvious advantage seeing that the operators are not so cramped as heretofore and there is less obstruction when it is desirable or necessary to have access to the running shaft or its associated parts.

In further describing the invention reference will be hereinafter made to the accompanying drawing wherein v Figure 1 is a-front elevation of a complete section of the improved driving arrangement and bench structure.

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same.

'Figure 3 is an elevation, partly in section, of one end of a transmitter, and

Figure 4 is asection taken online 11-11 of Figure 8. V

Figures land 2 are drawn to a smaller scale than Figures 3 and 1. l

According to a convenient embodiment of the invention the bench 1 is supported at various points throughout its length by a central upright standard Qwvhich preferi ably consists of a casting adapted for fastening to the floor such as by screws or bolts and carrying at the top a horizontal beam casting 3 bolted to the standard, said beam being provided with a vertical slot 4 for passage of a securing bolt 5 (or-bolts) so that the beam can be adjusted in height on the standard 2. Attached to the beam at opposite ends thereof are vertical tie rods 6 the lower ends of which are secured to the floor in any suitable manner. If desired said tie rods may also be utilized as seat posts. The standard 2 has attached thereto abearing member 7 for the driving shaft 8. This bearing member is prefers ly attached by means of a bracket 9 which is capable of adjustment on the standard to enable the shaft 8 to be properly aligned.

' For actuating the individual machines from the running shaft 8 the latter is provided with drive transmitting means pref-- erably of a kind similar to that described in the specification of British Patent No. 139693 corresponding to U. S. Patent No. 1,382,133. These transmitters include a bearing member for supporting the shaf' and in the present improved arrangement we make the transmitter double, that is to say instead of a single transmitter we combine two transmitters with the same bearing member one transmitter being used to drive a. machine in one row and the other being used to drive a machine in the other row. In the drawings, 10 represents a machine in each row. Conveniently the bearing member 7 is situated between the two transmitters which are disposed in opposite directions to each other, the drive from one being transmitted by an open belt 11land that fromthe other by a crossed belt 12. This form of drive balances the end thrust on the driving shaft. According to a practical embodiment of the double transmitter, one end of which is shown partly in section in Figure 3, the belt pulleys 13 are freely mounted by means of a ball or other antifriction bearings (notshown) of any suitable type on sleeves 14L slidable in the bearing member 7 on opposite sides of a ball or other bearing (not shown) therein which carries the, shaft 8. The bearing member 7 is provided with flanges 15 fitted with leather or other rings 16 adapted to engage the adjacent faces of the pulleys'thereby forming brakes. The pulleys are also fitted with friction rings 17 or the like and for driving purposes the pulleys are moved in opposite directions to each other so as to press the friction rings against the opposing surfaces of driving clutch member 18 keyed on the running shaft. Thus'the end thrust on the shaft is balanced.

Instead of moving the sliding, sleeve 14 of each transmitter by means of va lever as described in the aforesaid specification, we prefer to obtain this movement by means of a pin 19 or equivalent which projects radially from the sleeve through an inclined or cam ell) bracket 24 fastened to the floor, and a connecting link 25 one end of which is'attached to the bar or link 23 and the other to a rod 26 which projects laterally from the treadle. There is also attached to the pin or member 19 one end of atension spring 27 the opposite end of which is anchored to a pin 28 secured in the bearing member 7 whereby the pulley 13 is normally held in contact with the brake ring 16, Upon depression of the treadle the pin or member 19 turns the sleeve 1st in the bearing member 7 and owing to the angularity of the slot imports also anendwise movement to the sleeve thereby moving the pulley out of engagement with the ring 1% and pressing it against the opposing face of the driving member 18. Instead of controlling the pin of each sleeve by a separate spring the two pins maybe controlled by the same spring, for instance, they may be connected by a tension spring The treadles 21 are each preferably fulcrumed upon uprights or brackets 29 attached to the floor in a rigid manner. This enables the treadle to be conveniently positioned to suit the operator.

In order to efficiently guard the running shaft and its associated parts and at the same time enable the same to be readily eX- amined by observation during running we provide along opposite sidesof the same a guard 30 of woven wire, wire netting or similar "openwork material. These guards are arranged in the form of a V, as shownin Figure 2, so as to enclose the running shaft and parts thereon and the belt drives from the transmitters to the machines. The guards may consist of suitable frames formed by rods or bars carrying the woven wire or equivalent material. Conveniently said frames are held in position by attach ment in a removable manner at the top and bottom to longitudinal bars or rods 31 supported by the horizontal beams 8 and the central standards 2 respectively of the bench structure. To this end the perpendicular members of the guards may be bent at their ends to form hooks which engage over the bars or rods .31. Or recessed lugs or other suitable devices cast on or attached to the horizontal beams and central standards may be provided instead of the bars or rods 31 for the attachment of the guards. The guards, being of openwork character, enable the enclosed parts to be seen therethrough and thus enable frequent examination to be made without removal of the guards.

The shaft 8 may be driven either directly or through suitable control gear from any convenient source of power, such, for example, as an electric motor which may occupy any position with relation to the bench as may be found suitable'or desirable, l I

The details of construction may be varied vention. y

What we claim then is r r 1. Driving means for a double row I of sewing or like machines arranged on a bench supported by central upright standards, comprising bearings on said standards, a single high-speed shaft carried by the bearings,

transmitters associated with the bearings and arranged in two sets, those of one set opposing those of the other set, means for controlling the transmitters, open belts for transmitting the drive from the transmitters of one set to the machines in one row, and crossed belts for transmitting the drive from the transmitters of the other set to the machines in the other row.

2. Driving means for a double row of sewv mg or like machines arranged on a bench supported by central upright standards,

comprising bearings on said standards, a single high-speed shaft carried by the bearings, sleeves slidable in said bearings, pulleys freely mounted on the sleeves, brake discs combined with the bearings for arresting rotation ofthe pulleys, means for normally holding the pulleys against the, brake discs,

driving clutch members on the shaft, treadles and intermediate connections for movmg the without departing from the scope of the inpulleys into engagement with said clutch members, and belts for transmitting the drive direct from the pulleys to the machines. 3. Driving means for. a double row of sewing'or like machines arranged on a bench supported by central upright standards,

comprising bearings on said standards, a

single high-speed shaft carried by the bear ings, sleeves slidable in said bearings and arranged in two sets, those of one set sliding in an opposite direction to those of the other set, pulleys freely mounted on the sleeves, brake discs combined with the bearings for arresting rotation of the pulleys, means for normally holding the pulleys against the brake discs, driving clutch members on the shaft, ,treadles and intermediate connections for moving the pulleys into engagement with said clutch members, open belts for transmitting the drive direct from the pulleys of one set of sleeves to the machines in one row, and crossed belts for transmitting the drive direct from the other pulleys to the machines in the other row;

4. Driving. means for a double row of sewing or like machines arranged on a bench supported by central upright standards. comprising bearings on said standards, a single high-speed shaft carried by the bearings, sleeves slidable in said bearings, pulleys freely mounted on said sleeves, brake discs combined with the bearings, driving clutch members on the shaft, pins fixed in the sleeves and projecting therefrom through inclutch member and brake disc, and belts for clined slots in the bearings, springs controltransmitting the drive direct from said ling the movement of said pins in one direcpulleys t0 the machines. tion, treadles and intermediate connections In testimony whereof'wehave signed our 5 for moving said pins in the other direction, names to this specification.

the movement of said sleeves bringing the ARTHUR BEDWARD SPENCER. pulleys into alternate engagement with the FRANK EDWARD WALKER. 

